A selection of websites explaining how Switzerland is structured and how it functions, providing you with the information you will need to form an opinion and exercise your political rights from overseas

Services

Contact the responsible Swiss representation or consulate when you want to register or unregister as a resident, when you need a new passport, have moved or wish to apply for citizenship. The entire selection of services offered can be found in the dropdown menu to the right. The contact details of the responsible Swiss representation are shown on the corresponding page.

Swiss citizens who get into difficulties abroad, also can ask for advice and help from the Swiss representative.

The magazine for the Swiss Abroad appears six times a year and provides information about what is happening at home and the activities of Swiss associations abroad. It also answers administrative questions.

With Moldova facing high unemployment and a slowdown in growth, the SDC is funding a project designed to offer young job seekers alternatives to emigration and to improve the country's economic situation. Switzerland is supporting reforms aimed at training a qualified workforce and improving the investment climate. This will not only promote demand-driven training but also help create new jobs in the private sector.

The Engaging Citizens and Empowering Communities project aims to strengthen civil society organisations by enabling them to play a crucial role in promoting and safeguarding the rights and interests of vulnerable and marginalised people in Moldova.

Working to reduce the risk of natural disasters is a fundamental element of improving the security of local populations. Switzerland has placed this objective on the agenda for its chairmanship of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in 2014. High-level conferences and practical training are planned.

People in Moldova, particularly in rural communities, lack access to clean drinking water and sanitation. An SDC-sponsored project for the construction of decentralised water and wastewater systems (ApaSan) is helping improve the quality of life and health in the countryside.

Molodova has the most fragmented sytem of local governments in the South-East Europe. People's dissatisfaction with quality of services is high and participatory decision-making is not common. Local governance reforms launched by the Government are being pursued in a centralized manner. Switzerland will support moldova through a two-pronged approach supporting citizens (in enhancing participation and social accountability) and institutions (in improving public service provision), particularly in rural areas.

Job creation is crucial for inclusive economic growth and sustainable poverty reduction. It is also vital for reducing the long-term outward migration trend of Moldova’s workforce. This program contributes to the creation of attractive job opportunities, especially for young people, by enhancing the competitiveness of local private enterprises. Following a market systems development approach, it aims to remove key constraints that hamper the proper functioning of markets for the benefit of the poor and excluded

One third of Moldovans already live abroad and the Government acknowledges that migration can bring many opportunities, if addressed and managed properly. SDC`s previous interventions resulted in a unique mobilization of migrants committed to contribute to the development of their home communities. Switzerland will further support Moldova in building a favorable environment for migrants to invest in their home country, as well as to provide good quality return and reintegration services.

Bread for all (Bfa), the development organization of the protestant churches of Switzerland, has aligned its mandate with the Agenda 2030. Through a network of ten faith-based organizations active in partner countries, Bfa supports disadvantaged people to access Food Security, Education and Health. It also strengthens communities in peacebuilding and conflict transformation, while furthering the social responsibility of Swiss stakeholders.

Switzerland has supported Moldova in developing its youth friendly health services (YFHSs) and scaling them up to cover the entire country. The improved access to quality healthcare led to better health outcomes in adolescents, such as decreased alcohol use and incidence of sexually transmitted infections. The two-year exit phase of this project will focus on ensuring the sustainability of YFHSs and transferring the responsibility for matching the supply and demand for such services to relevant national and local institutions.

Molodova's democracy is still young and fragile. The population is disinclined to participate in decision-making, to practice democrtatic values and to demand their rights. Schools have an important role in educating active and responsive citizens, but are not well prepared for it. By improving democratic school governance and introducing practical civic education, Switzerland will support Moldova in raising civic consciousness of chlidren and adolescents, and engaging them in ther communities.

In 2013 Switzerland started supporting Republic of Moldova in a systemic reform of the mental health (MH), aimed at bringing MH services closer to users by providing treatment in a community setting. The project second phase will contribute to further increase the access to and utilization of quality community-based mental health services and health education programs by the means of a nationwide scaling-up.

Moldova’s democracy is still young and fragile. The population is hesitant to participate in decision-making and to demand their rights. Good-quality civic education is an essential element for promoting democratic values, raising awareness about the rights and responsibilities of every citizen, and for stimulating a stronger civic engagement. Switzerland supports Moldova in providing children and adolescents with opportunities to apply civic learning inside and outside the classroom.